The Government of Catalonia has approved significant expansions to its housing support programmes, broadening eligibility for youth home purchase loans and increasing funding for urban renewal projects by €100 million.
On Tuesday 20 October 2026, the Consell Executiu approved changes to the Préstecs Emancipació (Emancipation Loans) programme, allowing the funds to be used not only for down payments on first homes but also for renovation or rehabilitation works. The loans, managed by the Institut Català de Finances (ICF) and the Agència de l'Habitatge de Catalunya (AHC), offer up to €50,000 at 0% interest, covering up to 20% of a property’s purchase price.
Beneficiaries do not begin repaying the loan until their mortgage is fully amortised, with a maximum grace period of 30 years. Once the mortgage is settled, they have five additional years to repay the loan amount. The rest of the property cost is covered through a conventional mortgage with a participating financial institution.
Expanded Use and Local Collaboration
Under the new rules, the loans can now finance renovation work on the purchased home, within the same €50,000 cap. They can also be used to acquire officially protected housing (VPO), a change requiring regulatory adjustments by the AHC to align VPO status with the limited-price housing (HPL) regime triggered by the loan.
The Generalitat will promote agreements between the AHC, ICF, and local authorities so city councils can supplement loan amounts from their own budgets, enhancing support for residents seeking first homes.
Since the programme’s launch in June 2025, more than 3,000 people have accessed their first home, resulting in over 2,000 homes entering or qualifying for protected status across Catalonia. Total loans exceed €76 million, with an average of €36,633 per operation. The average beneficiary age is 29.6 years.
Neighbourhood Investment Rises to €300 Million
The second measure increases the budget for the second call of the Pla de Barris i Viles 2025–2029 from €200 million to €300 million. The additional €100 million will allow more municipalities to benefit. A total of 117 councils submitted applications by the July deadline, and the provisional list of selected projects is expected in the coming weeks.
The first call funded 20 municipal projects with €232 million. The programme supports comprehensive urban regeneration, including housing and public space rehabilitation, energy efficiency, climate adaptation, and social initiatives in education, health, employment, and community cohesion.
While the expansion falls short of the €400 million agreed in the 2026 budget negotiations between the PSC and Comuns, the government aims to accelerate transformation in vulnerable areas with the current allocation.
Reported by larazon.es, Europa Press, David Expósito J, La Razón Cataluña.
